Worthy Reads

“Hope is a balloon, always a breath away from being deflated.” -Leaving Time

“I must work harder to achieve my goal of not seeking approval from those whose approval I’m not even sure is important to me.” –Someday, Someday, Maybe

Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult

I have only read one Jodi Picoult book, and it was a long time ago, but this more recent read reminded me of what a fantastic author she is. She’s gripping and interesting from the very first page. I mean, elephants, psychics and a missing woman—is there a better combination?

Serenity Jones is a washed-out psychic who lost her powers a long time ago amidst a scandal. Virgil Stanhope is a retired cop turned private eye. Jenna Metcalf is the 13-year-old girl who brings them all together to try and find her missing mother, Alice, a woman more in love with her elephants than her husband or her daughter.

As amazing of an author and storyteller as Picoult is, I would not recommend binge-reading her books—they are great, but emotionally draining and need to be spaced out, lest you read yourself into a catatonic state. But even in writing this review, I’m tempted to go back and reread to see what I missed, knowing that it will leave me in an emotional stupor for a bit afterward. Leaving Time is definitely a worthy read.

Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham

Franny is a girl with big hopes and even bigger dreams. Moving to New York, she gives herself three years to make it as an actress in 1995. As her deadline nears, Franny realizes her dream may not come true. Times become desperate as her roommates, Dan and Jane, do whatever they can to help her succeed.

Franny is very reminiscent of Graham’s character, dialogue, and pace in “Gilmore Girls.” The storyline is hilarious, but not overdone. You can see everything unfolding as it happens because she sets the stage for us so realistically, you can’t help but feel like you are watching a movie instead of a reading a book. This book is best when experienced as an audiobook.

I absolutely adored this book. Never boring, never redundant, always fresh and exciting. I can’t wait to see what else Lauren Graham has written. Definitely a worthy read.